Question

The area of a rectangle gets reduced by 8 m², when its length is reduced by 5 m and its breadth is increased by 3 m. If we increase the length by 3 m and breadth by 2 m, the area is increased by 74 m². Find the length and the breadth of the rectangle.

Answer 1

Let the length and the breadth of the rectangle be x m and y m, respectively.
∴ Area of the rectangle = (xy) sq. m

Case 1: When the length is reduced by 5 m and the breadth is increased by 3 m:
New length = (x − 5) m
New breadth = (y + 3) m
∴ New area = (x − 5) (y + 3) sq. m
∴ xy − (x − 5) (y + 3) = 8
⇒ xy − [xy − 5y + 3x − 15] = 8
⇒ xy − xy + 5y − 3x + 15 = 8
⇒ 3x − 5y = 7 .....(i)

Case 2: When the length is increased by 3 m and the breadth is increased by 2 m:
New length = (x + 3) m
New breadth = (y + 2) m
∴ New area = (x + 3) (y + 2) sq. m
∴ (x + 3) (y + 2) − xy = 74
⇒ [xy + 3y + 2x + 6] − xy = 74
⇒ 2x + 3y = 68 .....(ii)
On multiplying (i) by 3 and (ii) by 5, we get:
9x − 15y = 21 .....(iii)
10x + 15y = 340 .....(iv)
On adding (iii) and (iv), we get:
19x = 361
⇒ x = 19
On substituting x = 19 in (iii), we get:
9 × 19 − 15y = 21
⇒ 171 −15y = 21
⇒ 15y = (171 − 21) = 150
⇒ y = 10
Hence, the length is 19 m and the breadth is 10 m.